Windows is the most popular platform for PC game, and Microsoft's Xbox consoles have been among the most popular video game consoles. However, they have not meshed particularly well, and PC games have not been incorporated into a specific Windows gaming ecosystem.

Instead, Valve's Steam software stands as the biggest and most populated bridge between games and Windows. Microsoft plans to fix that in Windows 10 with the new Xbox app. It combines the social and matchmaking features that made Xbox Live so popular with Windows gaming power, and adds some interesting connectivity options between Windows 10 PCs (and Surface tablets running Windows 10) and the Xbox One.

The Xbox app serves as a front-end to Xbox Live for Windows 10 systems, and represents Microsoft's plans to broaden the scope of Xbox as a platform. The Xbox One is still Microsoft's big game console, but Xbox on Windows 10 makes previously Xbox-only features available on PCs and tablets. When Windows 10 launches, the Xbox app will offer several new features previously not avilable on a PC through Microsoft.

1. Follow Friends on Xbox LiveThe Xbox app for Windows 10 works like a full communications and activity-tracking center for Xbox Live. Whether you or any of your friends are on PC or Xbox One, you can see who's playing what, watch game clips they share, and even send messages and invites from your computer. This is extra-helpful if you see a friend playing a cross-platform multiplayer game on their Xbox One and want to join them without leaving your desk.

2. Buy Windows 10 GamesAlong with keeping track of friends, buying games is one of the most important aspects of an online gaming platform. Xbox Live has made this a fundamental part of the Xbox One, with all major games released digitally, and many exclusive titles only available through the service. But on PCs, Steam has dominated the space for years. The Xbox app includes access to Microsoft's own online software store, so you can buy games directly through the service. However, the pre-launch Xbox app store seemed paltry when we looked at it, with most games seeming to be casual or mobile-oriented titles rather than big names. That will hopefully change when Windows 10 officially arrives.

3. Stream Xbox One Games to Your PCIf you have an Xbox One, you can stream it to any room in your house through a Windows 10 PC or tablet. Even Xbox One exclusives will be playable in front of your monitor, or through a Surface Pro on your coffee table, with game streaming. You need an Xbox One gamepad connected to your PC or tablet, though.

4. Track AchievementsCombine your Xbox One and Windows achievements into one list and one Gamerscore pool, so you can keep your gaming bragging rights organized across platforms. The achievements are integrated into the software much more smoothly than with Microsoft's previous attempt, the Games for Windows Live platform.

5. Cross-Platform MultiplayerThe upcoming MOBA Fable Legends will come out for Xbox One and Windows 10 simultaneously, with cross-platform multiplayer letting users of both platforms face off against each other. Currently, Fable Legends is the only cross-platform Windows 10/Xbox One game announced, but more are planned for the future.

6. Record and Share Gameplay with Game DVRGame DVR debuted on Xbox One, and it's hitting Windows 10 with the same features and options. Game DVR is integrated into Windows 10, and a Game Bar menu can set up capture sessions quickly. Pressing the Windows key and G brings up the Game Bar, which has buttons for beginning game capture or taking screenshots. Once you hit Record, the Game Bad disappears into a clock in the corner of the screen, staying out of the way while letting you know it's capturing what you're doing. When you're done, both clips and screenshots appear in the Xbox app under the Game DVR menu, and you can share these with friends through the app or navigate to the files in Windows 10 to do whatever you want with them.

Related

Bizarro Bonus: Windows 10 on Xbox OneThis is less a gaming feature brought from Xbox One to Windows 10 and more an OS upgrade brought to the Xbox One itself. The Xbox One operating system is, fundamentally, Windows, with an Xbox One-oriented Metro interface. After Windows 10 launches for PC, the Xbox One will be updated to also run Windows 10. This means performance upgrades, new apps, and possibly much more functionality for the game console to serve as a PC, while your PC works harder to be like a game console.

The Xbox app brings a lot of long-desired and long-Steam-reserved PC gaming features into Microsoft's fold, but only time will tell if Windows 10 can shake the house that Valve built. The social, matchmaking, and game capture features are leaps and bounds ahead of anything Microsoft has offered natively in the past, but game integration and availability could make or break Xbox as the go-to software for PC gaming.

About the Author

Will Greenwald has been covering consumer technology for a decade, and has served on the editorial staffs of CNET.com, Sound & Vision, and Maximum PC. His work and analysis has been seen in GamePro, Tested.com, Geek.com, and several other publications. He currently covers consumer electronics in the PC Labs as the in-house home entertainment expert... See Full Bio

Get Our Best Stories!

This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.